At just 23 years old, Matt Murray has already won two Stanley Cups for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Also 23 is Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s starting netminder, while 24-year-olds John Gibson and Connor Hellebuyck are excelling in No. 1 roles for Anaheim and Winnipeg, respectively.

It’s only natural then for Vancouver Canucks fans to wonder when it might be Thatcher Demko’s time.

Demko, who just turned 22, has been one of the AHL’s best goalies this season. He’s 8-5-3 with a .920 save percentage for the Utica Comets. And according to Ryan Johnson, the Canucks’ director of player development, Demko is ahead of schedule in terms of his progress at the pro level.

“I’m impressed that he’s taken the steps in the American Hockey League as quick as he has,” Johnson told The Athletic last week. “Thatcher has a natural way of carrying himself. He’s got a great, quiet...